A Chinese court has sentenced one of China’s most prominent rights advocates to four years in prison after he campaigned for the rights of children from rural areas to be educated in cities and for officials to disclose their assets.

The Beijing Number 1 intermediate people’s court found Xu Zhiyong guilty of “gathering a crowd to disturb public order”, the court said on its official microblog. Xu was tried on Wednesday.

Xu’s jailing will send a stark warning to activists that the Chinese Communist Party will crush any challenge to its rule, especially from those who seek to organise campaigns.

It also diminishes hopes for meaningful political change, even as China pledges to embark on economic reforms :: Read the full article »»»»